| argot |
the vocabulary or jargon characteristic of a specific group or class, especially of criminals. |
| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| deposition |
a sworn statement, usually in writing, for use as testimony by an absent witness in a court of law. |
| doggerel |
trivial, crudely constructed verse. |
| élan |
enthusiasm or vigor. |
| electuary |
a drug mixed with honey, syrup, or the like to form a paste to be smeared on the teeth or gums of a sick animal. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| impediment |
an obstacle or hindrance. |
| incessant |
never stopping; constant. |
| interdict |
to deter or impede by the steady use of firepower. |
| laureate |
one honored for achievement in a particular field or by a particular award, especially in the arts or sciences. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| neologism |
a new word, phrase, or usage. |
| pneumatic |
of, using, or concerning air or other gases. |
| sotto voce |
in a low voice or undertone, so as not to be overheard; softly (often used as a musical direction). |